Tour de France future: who will take the torch from Lance?

[Asylum Steve]

Well, Lance's seventh is signed, sealed, and delivered. A magnificent finish to a storybook career...

And with the Parisian street sweepers still collecting the last bit of garbage off the Champs Elysees, I figure now is the perfect time to see who you folks think will be the next TDF Champion.

My poll covers most of the top contenders in the sport, but feel free to add your own, and please give some reasons why you think one has a better shot over the others...

BTW, my pick is Basso. A very good overall rider who stayed with Lance through the mountains. If he can improve his only weakness (the individual time trial) this off season, he may be unbeatable.

[Michael Fanelli]

And with the Parisian street sweepers still collecting the last bit of garbage off the Champs Elysees, I figure now is the perfect time to see who you folks think will be the next TDF Champion.

BTW, my pick is Basso. A very good overall rider who stayed with Lance through the mountains. If he can improve his only weakness (the individual time trial) this off season, he may be unbeatable.

Probably Basso but I voted for Vinokourov. I keep thinking that the guy was an animal this year. You just can't get rid of him easily. Some good luck next year or a couple of years of settling down and Vinokourov takes it.

[mtbbrian]

It's too soon to know!
I am just coming off of the three week high from watching!
I will say this though..
Your list is good, but for one I don't think Ullrich has it in him to win The Tour again.
His physical conditioning is good, but his mental game is off.
I'd like to see Popovych, he'll definately be someone to watch.
I LOVE Hincapie, but he is not a stage racer, he can finish and win a stage, but his main thing are the single day races.
Just my two cents..
Brian
Thanks For The Memories Lance!!!!!!!

[racingpinarello]

If Jan goes into the next years tour hungry, I believe he can take it. Jan is still one of the top time trialist out there, and he made up a lot of time on Ivan on the last time trial.

Ivan gained a lot of time with Lance and since they are good friends worked together in the mountains.

Next year I think that Tmobile will have a better team without infighting, and without the same dominance of a returning yellow jersey.

I hope he does well since he's a good guy and a great rider.

Loren